Slade, Book 1 in Team Greywolf Series Page 7

  He took a quick cold shower. Thoughts of Cricket in that black little dress and without a stitch on went straight to his cock. How easy it would have been to join her when she showered while he was in her apartment. Sucking her delectable nipples, biting her round little ass, and tonguing her sweet clit until she howled his name.

  His cock swelled to missile proportions, a heat-seeking missile looking for Base Cricket. Docking into her silo.

  Slade snarled. No relief. Jesper was in the next room. Why should he give a fuck if the omega smelled his ejaculated semen? If he masturbated, Jesper may not understand. Alpha wolves always had women lined up to relieve their sexual tension. Pack members helped their alpha fulfill his needs. The last thing he wanted to hear from Jesper was how to hook up with a local she-werewolf. Not any woman, only Cricket would satisfy his itch.

  He scrubbed shampoo onto his scalp. Anger replaced lust. She fucked human males. Not ever again. He turned the water off and stepped out into his companion’s office. “Get me a beer.”

  Jesper looked up from his laptop. “Yes, my liege.”

  “No formalities. Call me, Slade.” The only person he wanted to submit to him and treat him with proper respect was Cricket. On her hands and knees, her ass up. No, on her knees giving him head.

  Jesper stood and lowered his head. “Yes, my…Slade.” He turned and headed toward the kitchen.

  Slade dressed in blue jeans. No shirt and no shoes. Good enough. In case, he felt the need to shift. Going wolf might take his mind off Cricket. Or not. Damn, his wolf wanted her more than he did. Maybe he should have gone with Dr. Warner. Yet his need to protect Cricket overpowered the logical side of his mind. He sat on the sofa, facing the fireplace.

  “Here you are, sir.” Jesper brought him a cold Belgian beer. “Do you want some venison?”

  Slade grabbed the beer. “I can wait until dinner.” He drank and then glanced at Jesper. “Do you want one?”

  “No, thank you.”

  Slade mumbled, “Suit yourself.” Had Rylee ordered him to remain sober, while supervising the crazy prince? “Sit, at least, so we can talk.”

  “Yes, of course, Slade.” The omega slowly sat, showing the ultimate respect.

  “I have some questions about Cricket.”

  He gave him a questioning look. “What would you like to know?”

  Besides her favorite positions during sex and if she enjoyed giving men head? “What is her pack’s family name and is Cricket her real name?”

  “Pack’s name is Ruelle. A small pack from Wyoming. Cricket is her nickname, but even I with all my cyber skills don’t know her real name.” His smiled wavered. “Actually, I never gave learning her given name a second thought.”

  Slade narrowed his eyes. How could anyone not give her a second thought?

  Perceptive, Jesper backtracked. “I mean, we all love her as Cricket. Just fits her personality.”

  “Interesting, she left her pack.” Most lower-rank wolves such as omegas never ventured from their pack. Cricket and Jesper were the exception. “Do you know why?”

  Jesper swallowed. “She was kicked out.”

  Slade tensed. “Why?”

  “Not sure about the details, except Rylee had met with Cade, the alpha, about a wolf hunter, who fell to his death from a cliff. It was ruled an accident. Anyway, Cade insisted Rylee find Cricket a home. Intrigued with meeting the first known runt to survive the change, she brought her here and discovered she had more than your average human spirit and acquired memory.”

  Slade cocked his head. “Odd, no alpha would kick out a vulnerable wolf.” Especially a runt.

  “Well, sir, only Rylee knows exactly why, but she keeps our stories under lock and key.”

  “Does she now?” Better not make him suspicious. “What’s your story?”

  “Not too earth shattering. I was a weak hunter, but good with math, tech stuff and research. Rylee heard of my skills and made the offer. I hated leaving my pack, but I have to say, I’m glad I did.”

  “I too think I can help our society by joining LIA.”

  “Don’t worry, there should be no problem finding you a mate who would make an excellent team member.”

  “To be honest, I’m not ready.” Or worthy.

  “I understand.”

  “Let’s go have a talk with Rylee.”

  Jesper raised a brow. “About?”

  “I know, I’m not supposed to work until Warner gives me the okay, but he said I can start learning the ropes.”

  “I’ll call her.”

  Truth was, he was anxious to see if Cricket had returned. And if Cricket should be there? All the better.

  Chapter 7

  After going through the tightest security ever, Cricket entered the warden’s royal office in King Conan’s castle. Cody, the packs’ warden, stood and threw her a broad smile. Since the East Coast warden retired, all lone wolves were under his jurisdiction. The fifty-something beta, dressed in every day khaki pants and black shirt kept his grey streaked red hair in a long ponytail. Vintage 70’s. “Pleasure to meet you, sir.”

  “So you are Cricket Ruelle? I’ve heard all about you.”

  It had been a while since she heard her pack surname, Ruelle. Not since Cade, Daddy, kicked her out. “Good things, I hope.”

  “Interesting things.”

  “Oh?”

  “I’ve never met a runt, or rather as I prefer to call, a preemie that survived the change.” He gestured for her to sit.

  Preemie? Somehow it sounded less insulting and very true. Her mother gave birth to her weeks before the due date. “So being born a runt makes me interesting?”

  “That and the fact you pass so easily as human.”

  “Umm. Thanks.” I think.

  “I’m pretty good as passing as human, for a beta that is.” He shrugged. “My nephew, Gunner on the other hand sucks at it. He’s an alpha, but dreams of being a warden.” He scoffed. “Beats me why.” He sat, facing her and frowned. “Anyway, you didn’t come here for idle chitchat.” He pushed a button and a walled computer screen flickered on, displaying photos of the missing werewolves, including the German alpha, Raulf and his murdered shrink, Dr. Ivo Strom.

  Cricket furrowed her brow. “Allen, Erik and Randi. All males in their twenties, except for the older shrink.”

  “The warden in Europe is checking up on all the lone lycans, and we are going down our list. So far all are accounted for.”

  “Yet. If anyone is kidnapping or murdering werewolves, odds are they are easing back. They must know we’re on high alert.” Even Cody was under suspicion and warranted continued surveillance. He'd been the last werewolf to see all three missing werewolves. So far, he turned out clean and as the warden for the last thirty years with no problems, nobody questioned his loyalty.

  “No kidding.”

  “I’ll ask Rylee if I can return to where they were last seen.”

  “It’s worth a try. I’ll show you.” He switched to the next slide that showed a flow chart of the last known locations. “One in Santa Cruz, one in Colorado and one in Vermont. Team Greywolf came up empty.”

  Cricket furrowed her brow. “There’s a pattern.”

  “Yes, by time zone.”

  “And all higher status. Alpha or beta. Then again, very few omegas leave their pack.” Rarely allowed.

  “You did, but then again not as a lone wolf.”

  Not exactly by choice. “Did the three ever communicate with one another?”

  “No. Hell, I was the only lycan they ever talked to. Randi, the beta who abandoned his pack almost refused to meet with me, but the threat of having to meet with the enforcer changed his mind.”

  “Let’s start with Randi.” She took out her pen recorder. “Randi, beta, last known location, Santa Cruz, California.” Most unusual for a werewolf to frequent a popular resort area. Turning wolf in a populated area risked discovery. The other two missing werewolves lived in private wooded areas, one in Durango, Colorado and the othe
r near a ski resort in Vermont.

  He switched slides to just Randi. Apparently, the wily wolf had been to downtown Santa Cruz the day of his disappearance, only three days after the last check in with his warden. Randi repaired motorcycles and had parked his bike at a paid parking lot. “They found his scent here.” He pointed to a travel agency. “Then a mile away at this biker club, then nothing.”

  Cricket cocked her head. “Adventure Work and Travel Agency.” She thought travel agencies had died out ages ago. “Rylee said her team talked to the owner, a human woman who checked out as normal. The bar owner remembered him.” Who didn’t forget their kind? Not that werewolves were extra hairy or had long fangs unless in mid-shift, but a werewolf’s hidden presence elicited a prey response from even humans in law enforcement or the military. Not so much fear, but the respect one attributes to the dangerous beauty of the predator. Cricket never elicited such a reaction, which made her the ideal werewolf spy.

  “Your team didn’t have a chance to scope out the customers.”

  “None. Naturally, the female waitresses remembered every detail about him.” Humans, especially women were sexually attracted to the superior werewolf, whether alpha or not. In that department, Cricket scored, making any man turn his head. Their scent indicated their readiness for sex. Not that it took much effort with human men. “Unfortunately, the place was packed. One waitress noted after a couple hours, he appeared wasted.”

  Cody frowned. “He knows the rules about drinking to inebriation in public. If you find him, he must be sent to Enforcer Dominic.”

  “Rylee says Randi always followed protocol and suspects he was drugged.”

  “Yet, according to the owner, despite his drunkenness, he left the bar on his own two feet.”

  Cricket laughed. “At least not four feet.” If he had been drugged, his primal instinct would have made him go wolf. Maybe he did have one too many.

  “So Rylee will send you?”

  “Not sure, but I hope so. I don’t need to go wolf as often as others.” She also wanted to get back to work in their biotech lab, but escaping Slade’s needy alpha presence took precedence.

  “Makes sense. Team Greywolf just returned from combing the woods and town where the other two weres disappeared.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “How many more loners are out there?”

  “Only nine, but they’ve all been accounted for and ordered to the nearest pack until the king and LIA determines it’s safe.”

  Cricket continued the interview. “So the last time you met with Randi, what was his state of mind?”

  “Happy. He loved life outside his pack. Though he travelled to Santa Cruz, he lived in the La Honda woods. Not as private as the other lone wolves, but isolated enough to go wolf without notice.”

  “Did he have a girlfriend?” Betas weren’t allowed to date human females, so she assumed if he did that would be enough reason for him to disappear from the warden’s radar.

  “No. He was in a serious relationship with Brenda, a beta from the Oregon pack. She just didn’t want to live outside her pack, and he didn’t want to join another. Brenda is brokenhearted and admitted she might have left her pack for him.”

  “Was he despondent that she wanted to stay with her pack?”

  “Not at all. He was confidant she’d eventually move in with him. He even remodeled his kitchen.”

  “Yet, he disappeared from the face of the earth.” No doubt murdered. “What about Allen and Erik?”

  “Allen, a part-time ski instructor, mostly stayed in his cabin with his two Siberian huskies. You know from the reports, both dogs were shot about ten miles from his cabin.”

  “He might have gone wolf after his pets’ killer.” The more she learned, the more she suspected they were murdered. But why? They kept to themselves and harmed no one. Unless, werewolf hunters rose again. The cowards went after the lone wolves first.

  Cody shrugged. “Possibly.”

  Cricket furrowed her brows. “Although, his last scent was from a local cafe.”

  “Erik too, apparently went missing after buying groceries. All three werewolves were last seen near humans.”

  Cricket listened for another hour about the warden’s last visit to his charges. All three werewolves were, for the most part, doing well and had no reason to escape lycan radar. All in their prime. She turned off her recorder. “Thank you.”

  “So what’s next?”

  “I’m in charge of analyzing the DNA samples. Then I might visit their last hangouts and mingle with any witnesses.”

  “Not alone.”

  “It depends if Rylee wants me to go undercover, but no worries, I always have back up.”

  Slade finished his special ops training and returned to headquarters. Sweat trickled down his back. He stopped and wiped his face and neck. The commander insisted they remain human during the six-hour training session.

  Slade stunk like a fucking human. He sloughed off his wet t-shirt. The tight fatigues and black boots cramped his agility. His pack guard uniform had been baggier and comfortable. Team Greywolf acted as though they were Navy Seals rather than warrior werewolves. Unlike Slade’s original duty with the Yukon Guard, for most of Greywolf missions the team remained in human form. Only going wolf when there were no humans around to witness their shift. Any human witnessing them turn werewolf had to be executed on the spot. Humans were left alone unless they threatened their kind. Avoiding them was always best.

  Maybe Team Greywolf wasn't a good fit for him. Before their massacre, the Yukon pack had the least interaction with humans. They preferred their wolf over human form. Even their pre-change wolves had remained wolves a year longer than other packs. Though he had travelled more than his pack and enjoyed exploring the world, he only hung out with other lycans. He’d never even slept with a human woman, a privilege given only to alpha werewolves. When drinking, he'd hinted he had sex with human women. Every red-blooded alpha boasted of tasting the soft curves of forbidden fruit. He'd lied. He never desired them. Too physically fragile. Yet, had he missed an erotic experience? Was that why he desired Cricket? A runt was the nearest thing to being human.

  The whop, whop, whop of distant helicopter rotor blades approaching from the direction of the king’s territory caught his attention. He drank from his water bottle and looked up. Speak of the she-devil. Cricket better be on board.

  He watched the helicopter descend, its blades whipping up the wind like a dust devil. Despite the distance and elevation, he caught a whiff of her honeyed scent. Cricket. Finally. Instead of arriving as scheduled yesterday. Why the delay? Why had it taken so long to talk to the warden? Or had she stayed longer to avoid him? Shit. Should he go shower or greet her like this, unshaved and sweaty? He shook his head. What the fuck do I care what she thinks? Anyway, she’d probably report straight to Rylee.

  Rylee had briefed him about the missing werewolves and the packs’ current state of high alert. Raulf, the missing alpha from Germany, suffering from morphopsychosis, might have committed suicide. Yet, who killed his shrink? He'd read the report, seen the photos, and come to the same conclusions. The doctor was murdered in the same manner as the old world werewolf hunters. Was Raulf’s case even related to the missing American lycans?

  The helicopter landed. He wiped his brow. Perhaps a swim in the cold alpine lake would relieve his need to run toward the helicopter, his tail wagging. It should be her running toward him. Greeting him with sweet tongue licks to his chin, begging for his.

  Rylee met Cricket at the helipad.

  Before he could save his pride and leave unobserved, Rylee called, “Slade, join us in my office.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Slade draped his wet shirt over his shoulder.

  As he approached, his inner wolf howled and if it not for being in human form, his tail would have betrayed him and wagged like a happy pup. What the fuck is wrong with me? Just yesterday over video cam, Dr. Warner said he’d improved to the point where he was ready for a mission. He�
�d still be re-evaluated in a few weeks, but the need to go rage wolf had vanished. Even without his little wolf around.

  Cricket turned. Her smile warmed his heart, and her big brown eyes sparkled in mischief. “Hey.”

  Such disrespect, but damn, he didn’t care. He lifted a brow, doing his damn best to appear aloof. “Welcome back.”

  Rylee narrowed her eyes at Cricket. “Protocol.”

  “Sorry, ma’am.” She bowed her head to Slade. “Hello, sir.”

  “Better. Don’t forget Slade is a prince and in time will be a team commander.”

  Cricket’s face slackened, and she paled. Was she disappointed he’d be in charge of missions? Of her?

  Rylee said, “Come. We need to talk immediately.”

  Slade shot Cricket a smug smile. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Cricket and he followed Rylee to the elevator, down to the underground headquarters.

  Slade suppressed a growl. Was Rylee going to tell him Cricket would no longer live with him? Hated to pull his royal card, but if necessary, he would insist she remain at his side and under his command. No more seducing men assignments. Fuck. Why was she still in his system?

  The soft blue lights of the base soothed his nerves and kept his possessive wolf at bay. They entered Rylee’s private chambers, and she gestured for them to sit.

  She addressed Cricket. “You will work at the lab for a few days to help with the DNA analysis of what little evidence we have on Project Three Lost Sheep.”

  Cricket giggled. “Not a fitting name, is it, ma’am?”

  Rylee pointed her chin at him. “I asked Slade to name our operation.”

  Cricket raised a brow, as if she never considered he had a sense of humor. “Sheep? Really?”

  “I’m counting on keeping it to only three missing weres, and the name will not raise suspicions amongst our uninformed kind.”

  “Actually, it should be four not three sheep if we count Raulf the missing German alpha.”